Electric fence



NOV. 6, 1951 METCALF 2,574,052

ELECTRIC FENCE Filed Oct. 25, 1946 I f/ AZ Invent/1r Patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC FENCE David D. Metcalf, Beckville, Tex.

Application October 25, 1946, Serial No. 705,657

1 Claim.

This invention relates to electric fences and more particularly to a support for electric fence wire.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an electric fence support constructed in such a manner as to materially reduce the number of supporting structures for fences of this character and wherein simplified means for supporting the electric wire is employed.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a simplified electric fence which can be set up in much less time than conventional electric fences, the operation making it unnecessary that post holes be dug or nails be driven.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the fence.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken substantially on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the insulator.

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the insulator.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 5 generally refers to the improved electric fence wire support which consists of a pair of stakes, 6, I, crossed at their upper ends and having an eye bolt or the like 8 disposed therethrough to pivotally connect these parts together and in order that the support can be easily collapsed for the purpose of storage or shipment.

The eye bolt 8, as a matter of fact, may be a nail or any other similar element for connecting the stakes 6, 1 together and affording a head or other construction whereby the fence wire is suspended.

As shown in Figure 2, the device employs an insulator 9 of suitable insulating material, and preferably spherical, the same having a circumferential groove Ill on a horizontal plane for receiving a portion of one of a plurality of conductors 12, this portion of the conductor being held in place by a clamp wire I3, also disposed in the groove l and having its ends bent around the wire l2 at opposite sides of the insulator 9, as at M.

The insulator 9 has upwardly and downward- 1y disposed apertured ears 15, I6, respectively. The upper ear l has a lower eye end of a sus-- pension rod I1 disposed therethrough, the upper end of this rod having an eye disposed through the eye end of the bolt 8. Thus the insulator 9 and the top wire of the fence structure are supported. An additional link member 18 depends from the lower ear [6 and succeeding link or rod members l8 may be employed for supporting additional wires [2, as in the manner substantially shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The stakes 6, I are set up on the ground as substantially shown in Figure 2, straddling the wires l2. With the lower ends of the stakes sharpened, to points I9, the same cannot slip upon the ground.

Obviously the fence can be quickly set up and easily taken down and due to the pivotal connection of the stakes 6, I, the same can be stored away in a limited storage place or shipped in limited spaces.

Obviously the stakes 6, 7 can be manufactured of any desired material. When the fence is deenergized, the Whole assembly can be moved easily, step bv step, without necessarily disconnecting the wires.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In an electric fence including an elon ated electric wire, an upright support, said support being provided with a depending member, an insulator having an ear rising therefrom and to which the depending member is attached, said insulator being horizontally grooved for receiving a portion of the electric wire, a strap extending partly around the insulator and having its ends connected to the electric wire for holding the electric wire to the insulator and in the groove, said insulator being also provided with a depending lug, a depending connecting wire having its upper end connected to the depending lug, additional electric fence wire, the medial and lower end portions of the depending connecting member being secured to the additional electric fence wires for holding the same in spaced parallel relation with respect to the first mentioned electric fence wire.

DAVID D. METCALF.

(References on following page) 3 REFERENCES CITED ggz The following references are of record in the 342:303 file of this patent: 735,612 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 925,256

Number Name Date 1 155,538 Merrill Sept. 29, 1874 2315757 248,662 Mesnard Oct. 25, 1881 308,024 West Nov. 11, 1884 Name Date Travis Feb. 23, 1886 Rogers May 18, 1886 Steinberger Aug. 4, 1903 Wilson June 15, 1909 Crabbe Oct. 18, 1910 Heydon N0v. 2 5, 1924 Wenger Apr. 6, 1943 

